Saudi issues new travel regulation

MANILA, Philippines – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) has imposed a new regulation on travel safety procedures.

The Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah said in a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that under the new regulation, travelers departing from airports of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah are now prohibited from carrying liquids, gelatinous and compressed materials exceeding 100 milliliters in glass, plastic or metallic containers in their hand luggage.  

Drinks, juices, perfumes, oils, cosmetics and toothpaste are also prohibited in travelers’ hand luggage.

The new regulation is being imposed in compliance with international civil aviation safety conditions.

Security personnel at the airports will only allow essential items such as baby milk and medicine for patients and other humanitarian needs.

The DFA advised the public as well as Filipino expatriates in Saudi Arabia to observe these regulations to avoid unnecessary inconvenience when traveling through the airports of Saudi Arabia. 

Saudi Arabia announced that it will introduce fingerprinting and full-face digital photographs for visa applicants in 2010 as part of its efforts to strengthen its security, prevent identity theft, and combat terrorism.

The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia informed the DFA that overseas Filipino workers and other foreign nationals will be photographed and fingerprinted when they apply for visa.

On June 24, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for tenders from specialized international firms to set up a network of centers to provide biometric services to people applying for visas to the Kingdom.

Authorized biometric centers would receive visa applications on behalf of Saudi embassies and missions, adding that they would provide quick, quality service at reasonable charges.

Foreigners must provide their biometric data to obtain the appropriate visa to the Kingdom, adding that biometric service centers would be established in major cities around the world from 2010.

The new move comes after the United Kingdom introduced the system for visa applicants. 

Subsequently, the Council of Ministers instructed the Foreign Ministry to sign a memorandum of understanding with the UK to facilitate taking biometric data of Saudis and expatriates intending to visit Britain.

The Cabinet also instructed the Foreign Ministry to hold talks with countries intending to introduce similar visa regulations. 

The UK was the first European Union member country to adopt biometrics and has so far rolled out the procedure at its visa issuing centers in many countries worldwide.

The new policy will make the process much safer for travelers and protect them against identity theft and against document abuse.

Saudi Arabia has already begun fingerprinting and taking digital full-face photos of foreigners coming to the Kingdom on visit, Umrah and work visas. 

Foreign passengers now have to stand in long queues at airports and other entry points to have their fingerprints and full-face photos taken. 

The new biometric system will get rid of the long queues and delays at airports.

Maj. Gen. Salim Al-Belaihed, director-general of the Passport Department, urged all foreign workers to get their biometric data registered as soon as possible so that they can avoid snags in getting their re-entry visas stamped.

There are three fingerprinting centers in Jeddah: in Dalah Street in Rehab District, Saudi Oger Company in the Corniche District and Abruq Al-Raghama District.  Each center can serve 2,000 people a day.

The fingerprinting centers work in two shifts, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. There are also mobile fingerprinting centers, which the Passport Department sends to hospitals and large companies that have over 600 foreign workers. – Pia Lee-Brago